Be True To Yourself
Omnivore, 2020
8/10
The Badfinger guitarist, singer and songwriter, Joey Molland, returns from a nearly decade long hiatus of new material, and he’s got legends like Mickey Dolenz, Julian Lennon, Jason Scheff (Chicago) and Steve Holley (Wings) on hand for the healthy amount of pop hooks present.
Molland starts the album strong with the warm melodies of the breezy “This Time”, where backing vocals complement the power-pop spirit, and “Better Tomorrow” follows with bouncy keys alongside strategic brass on the sunny, glorious rocker.
There’s 10 tunes here, and they’re all great, including the cautious, gritty, romantic template of “All I Want To Do”, while “I Don’t Wanna Be Done With You” gets a bit hazy amid the precisely textured setting. “All I Do Is Cry”, one of the album’s best, then recruits retro-pop nods alongside timeless, flawless instrumentation that sounds right at home in the ‘70s.
Deeper still, the upbeat “Shine” is a dance-friendly step into playful and jumpy territory, and “Be True To Yourself” exits the listen percussively strong, as a healthy dose of Paul McCartney influence is present on the exceptional finish.
Considering what Molland has lived through during his years in Badfinger, it might be surprising that he has any interest in playing music anymore. Thankfully, he doesn’t deviate from what he knows best here, and even at 73 years old he’s proving that some things do indeed get better with age.
Travels well with: Richard X. Heyman- Pop Circles; Todd Rundgren- State